Director of Athletics and Recreation | Missouri S & T

Rolla, Missouri, Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is seeking a dynamic, innovative, and student-centered leader to serve as Director of Athletics and Recreation. The Director provides strategic and administrative leadership for a comprehensive intercollegiate athletics and recreation enterprise serving a campus of approximately 7,200 students. The Director oversees varsity intercollegiate athletics, student recreation and fitness, the Student Recreation Center, club sports, intramural sports, informal recreation, and related programs and services. The position also provides leadership for the financial management, operations, maintenance, scheduling, safety, utilization, and long-term planning of Missouri S&T’s athletics and recreation facilities and infrastructure. Intercollegiate athletics at Missouri S&T comprises 15 sports—nine men’s and six women’s—with approximately 500 student-athletes competing at the NCAA Division II level as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The program has a longstanding record of academic and athletic excellence. During the 2025–26 academic year, Missouri S&T led NCAA Division II with 17 Academic All-America selections and placed a school-record 381 student-athletes on the Academic All-GLVC team. Missouri S&T Athletics has experienced exceptional competitive and academic success in recent years, positioning the department among the premier NCAA Division II programs in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). Over the past five years, the Miners have captured four conference championships, including the 2025 GLVC Baseball Tournament Championship, the 2025 GLVC Men's Basketball Regular Season Championship, the 2026 GLVC Baseball Regular Season Championship, and the inaugural 2026 GLVC Men's Volleyball Championship. During the 2025-26 academic year alone, 10 athletic programs advanced to conference or NCAA postseason competition, 22 student-athletes earned all-region honors, and 13 were named All-Americans. Missouri S&T also led all NCAA Division II institutions with 17 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America selections, extended its streak to 26 consecutive years with at least one Academic All-American, and established school records with 381 Academic All-GLVC honorees, 92 GLVC Distinguished Scholars, 48 Council of Presidents' Academic Excellence recipients, and 14 GLVC Team Academic Awards. These achievements reflect a department where competitive excellence and academic success are equally valued and consistently realized. Missouri S&T also maintains a robust recreation and fitness program that includes the Student Recreation Center, intramural and club sports, informal recreation, student employment, and programming that supports student health, well-being, engagement, leadership, and belonging. Reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Student Success, the Director serves as the chief executive officer for Athletics and Recreation and leads approximately 13 administrators, 20 head and assistant coaches, and additional professional, support, and student staff. The Director is responsible for departmental strategy, personnel and organizational leadership, student-athlete success, competitive performance, recreation programming, NCAA and GLVC compliance, fiscal stewardship, fundraising and revenue generation, risk management, facilities, and effective administration of departmental operations. As a member of the Student Success leadership team, the Director collaborates with the Chancellor, Faculty Athletic Representative, academic leadership, Undergraduate Enrollment Management, University Advancement, Facilities, Finance and Administration, University Police, Marketing and Communications, and other campus partners to advance institutional priorities. The successful candidate will be a visible, accessible, and engaged leader who demonstrates integrity, sound judgment, fiscal responsibility, operational excellence, and the ability to build a high-performing organizational culture grounded in accountability, collaboration, transparency, professionalism, and respect. Key Responsibilities Strategic and Executive Leadership •Develop and execute a comprehensive strategic vision for Athletics and Recreation aligned with Missouri S&T’s strategic plan, Student Success priorities, and institutional enrollment goals. •Establish annual goals, performance measures, and accountability standards and regularly assess departmental progress and outcomes. •Provide visible and engaged leadership across the department, university, GLVC, NCAA, alumni network, and greater Rolla community. •Inform the Vice Chancellor for Student Success and University leadership on athletics, recreation, facilities, finances, compliance, student-athlete well-being, and emerging opportunities and risks. •Maintain effective organizational structures, policies, procedures, and internal controls that support efficient, accountable operations and continuous improvement. Personnel Leadership and Organizational Culture •Recruit, supervise, develop, mentor, and evaluate coaches, administrators, recreation professionals, support personnel, and other departmental staff. •Establish clear expectations for performance, communication, professionalism, fiscal responsibility, student-centered service, and accountability. •Build a positive, collaborative workplace culture characterized by trust, integrity, inclusion, innovation, mutual respect, and high performance. •Support employee engagement, professional and leadership development, succession planning, recognition, and meaningful performance feedback. •Address personnel matters promptly, consistently, and in accordance with University of Missouri System and Missouri S&T policies. Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being •Champion the academic achievement, retention, graduation, career readiness, leadership development, health, safety, and well-being of student-athletes. •Collaborate with academic departments and Student Success units to provide academic support, early intervention, accessibility services, mental health resources, career preparation, and other student services. •Promote an environment that supports competitive excellence, sportsmanship, personal responsibility, belonging, and meaningful student engagement. •Maintain effective processes for receiving, reviewing, and addressing student-athlete concerns. •Partner with Sports Medicine and other campus and external providers to maintain appropriate health, safety, emergency action, and student-athlete well-being protocols consistent with NCAA, conference, professional, and institutional standards. Competitive Excellence and Program Administration •Provide administrative oversight for all varsity programs, including coaching, recruiting, scholarships, scheduling, travel, equipment, game operations, and competitive performance. •Establish expectations for academic and competitive success, student-athlete development, ethical conduct, sportsmanship, compliance, and fiscal responsibility. •Evaluate varsity programs using academic, competitive, financial, recruiting, retention, operational, and student-experience measures. •Support coaches in recruiting and retaining academically prepared student- athletes aligned with Missouri S&T’s mission and values. •Ensure equitable, responsible, and strategic allocation of resources and maintain regular communication with coaches and athletics administrators regarding departmental priorities, budgets, policies, and institutional initiatives. Recreation, Fitness, Club Sports, and Intramurals •Provide strategic and administrative oversight for recreation, fitness, club sports, intramural sports, informal recreation, and related student programs. •Ensure programs and facilities are safe, welcoming, accessible, appropriately staffed, and responsive to student and campus needs. •Establish standards for club sports governance, financial management, travel, risk management, student conduct, facility use, and participant safety. •Use participation, facility utilization, student satisfaction, and other measures to evaluate program effectiveness and emerging needs. •Balance the facility, scheduling, staffing, and financial needs of varsity athletics with recreation, fitness, club sports, intramurals, and other campus uses. Financial Stewardship and Operational Accountability •Provide comprehensive fiscal leadership for Athletics and Recreation, including annual budgeting, forecasting, revenue planning, financial reporting, purchasing, contracts, travel, scholarships, equipment, personnel expenditures, and long-term financial planning. •Establish transparent processes for budget development, resource allocation, expenditure approval, financial reporting, reconciliation, and internal controls. •Ensure coaches and program leaders receive accurate and understandable budget information and remain accountable for operating within approved allocations. •Regularly review revenues, expenditures, encumbrances, forecasts, and budget variances and take corrective action when needed. •Ensure departmental expenditures, commitments, contracts, and financial practices comply with university, University of Missouri System, NCAA, GLVC, state, and federal requirements. •Identify opportunities for operational efficiencies, responsible cost management, strategic investment, and revenue generation. •Ensure accurate and timely completion of contracts, personnel actions, purchasing, reporting, travel arrangements, and other administrative responsibilities. Compliance, Governance, and Risk Management •Maintain a department-wide culture of integrity and compliance with NCAA Division II, GLVC, University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T, state, and federal requirements. •Provide active oversight of athletics compliance, including education, monitoring, eligibility, recruiting, financial aid, playing and practice seasons, documentation, reporting, and institutional control. •Collaborate with the Faculty Athletic Representative, compliance personnel, university leadership, and campus partners on NCAA and GLVC matters. •Ensure required reports, certifications, evaluations, and administrative submissions are accurate and completed on time. •Identify and address legal, financial, operational, compliance, reputational, health, and safety risks. •Support institutional obligations related to equity, nondiscrimination, accessibility, student conduct, and Title IX. •Maintain appropriate policies and procedures for event management, emergency response, travel, camps and clinics, club sports, facility use, and student participation. Facilities and Capital Planning •Oversee the operations, maintenance, scheduling, safety, accessibility, utilization, and strategic development of athletics and recreation facilities, competition venues, practice areas, fields, locker rooms, offices, fitness spaces, and related infrastructure. •Develop and maintain a comprehensive facilities and capital improvement plan addressing maintenance, repair, renovation, replacement, accessibility, safety, and expansion priorities. •Collaborate with Facilities, Finance and Administration, University Police, risk management, information technology, and other campus partners to ensure facilities are safe, functional, well-maintained, and appropriately equipped. •Establish clear accountability for facility operations, event preparation, grounds management, custodial needs, equipment replacement, preventive maintenance, and project completion. •Provide leadership for capital projects, including project scope, priorities, budgets, timelines, and funding strategies. •Coordinate scheduling and space utilization to appropriately balance varsity athletics, recreation, academic programs, university events, external rentals, camps, and community use. Enrollment, Recruitment, and Retention •Partner with Undergraduate Enrollment Management to advance institutional enrollment goals through student-athlete recruitment, campus visits, scholarship planning, yield initiatives, and retention efforts. •Work with coaches and enrollment professionals to establish responsible recruiting goals, monitor recruiting activity, and evaluate enrollment outcomes. •Ensure prospective student-athletes and their families receive a coordinated, welcoming, accurate, and high-quality campus experience. •Promote collaboration among coaches, Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, academic departments, Student Success units, and other recruitment partners. •Use enrollment, retention, academic, and financial data to inform roster planning and scholarship allocation. Fundraising, Revenue Generation, and External Relations •Serve as a visible ambassador for Missouri S&T Athletics and Recreation and cultivate strong relationships with alumni, donors, corporate partners, sponsors, former student-athletes, community leaders, and other external constituents. •Collaborate with University Advancement to develop and execute fundraising strategies supporting scholarships, programs, facilities, capital projects, and strategic priorities. •Support donor stewardship, alumni engagement, sponsorship development, annual and major giving, special events, and capital campaigns. •Identify responsible opportunities for revenue generation through sponsorships, ticketing, camps, events, rentals, concessions, licensing, and partnerships. •Build collaborative relationships with the Academy of Miner Athletics, alumni organizations, community groups, and other supporters. •Represent Missouri S&T at NCAA, GLVC, university, alumni, donor, civic, and community events. Communication, Marketing, and Campus Partnerships •Foster timely, transparent, accurate, and professional communication throughout Athletics and Recreation. •Maintain strong communication and working relationships with coaches, staff, student-athletes, university leadership, campus partners, alumni, donors, and other constituents. •Collaborate with Marketing and Communications and athletics communications personnel to strengthen the visibility, reputation, and brand of Missouri S&T Athletics and Recreation. •Promote the academic, athletic, service, and leadership accomplishments of student-athletes, coaches, staff, recreation participants, and programs. •Build productive campus partnerships and communicate the contributions of athletics and recreation to recruitment, retention, student success, institutional pride, alumni engagement, and community connection. Assessment and Data-Informed Improvement •Use data and key performance indicators to evaluate outcomes, identify risks and opportunities, guide resource allocation, and inform strategic decisions. •Monitor academic achievement, retention, graduation, competitive performance, recruiting, roster management, compliance, financial performance, fundraising, employee engagement, facility utilization, recreation participation, and student satisfaction. •Benchmark programs, staffing, resources, facilities, and performance against appropriate peer institutions and national practices. •Prepare and present regular reports to the Vice Chancellor for Student Success and other university leaders. •Promote a culture of assessment, accountability, continuous improvement, and evidence-based decision-making. Additional Responsibilities •Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Vice Chancellor for Student Success. •Maintain a work schedule that includes regular attendance at athletic contests, recreation programs, university events, donor activities, and occasional evening and weekend commitments. •Travel as needed for conference meetings, NCAA activities, postseason competition, fundraising, professional development, and university business. Minimum Qualifications A master’s degree in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience. At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience from which comparable knowledge, leadership ability, and administrative skills have been acquired. Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and leading a complex organization or department. Demonstrated experience with budget development, financial management, operational oversight, and organizational accountability. Evidence of effective leadership, sound judgment, ethical decision-making, and clear communication.   Preferred Qualifications A master’s degree in athletics administration, sport management, higher education, business administration, public administration, student affairs, or a related field. Seven or more years of progressively responsible administrative leadership experience within collegiate athletics, including significant experience in an NCAA intercollegiate athletics department. Experience supervising head coaches, athletics administrators, recreation professionals, and support staff. Demonstrated success in strategic planning, organizational change, culture development, and performance management. Substantial experience developing and managing complex operating, personnel, scholarship, facility, or capital budgets. Demonstrated knowledge of NCAA Division II governance, compliance, institutional control, and conference operations. Experience with student recreation, fitness centers, club sports, intramural programs, or comparable campus recreation operations. Experience overseeing athletic or recreation facilities, capital projects, maintenance planning, event operations, and facility scheduling.   Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, sponsorship development, revenue generation, alumni engagement, or external relations. Experience partnering with enrollment management on student recruitment, scholarship strategy, roster planning, retention, or enrollment growth. Record of supporting student-athlete academic achievement, retention, graduation, well-being, and career readiness. Demonstrated ability to build a positive, accountable, inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing organizational culture. Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, organizational, financial, analytical, and project-management skills. Experience using data, assessment, and performance measures to guide decisions and demonstrate outcomes. Evidence of strong campus partnerships and the ability to work effectively with executive leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and community Experience successfully leading through organizational change, complex challenges, or competing priorities. Leadership Attributes The successful candidate will demonstrate: Student-centered and mission-driven leadership Strategic vision and disciplined execution Exceptional fiscal stewardship Operational excellence and attention to detail Integrity, accountability, and sound judgment Visible, accessible, and engaged leadership Timely, transparent, and respectful communication Emotional intelligence and professional maturity Commitment to employee development and engagement Collaborative and relationship-oriented leadership Commitment to student-athlete health, safety, success, and well-being Ability to make difficult decisions and address concerns promptly Strong organizational, project-management, and follow-through skills Commitment to compliance, institutional control, and ethical conduct Ability to lead a multifaceted athletics, recreation, fitness, and facilities enterprise commensurate with qualifications and experience